Death of LAPD’s Brian Brown

When I first heard of the Nov. 29 killing of a police officer, I was confident the killer would be a known criminal who had been released from prison. “Officer’s Alleged Killer Was a Recently Paroled Gang Member” (Dec. 2) confirmed it. He was on parole after serving half of an 11-year sentence for attempted murder. He improved in prison--Sunday’s murder attempt was successful.

There is a simple solution to this ongoing problem of repeat offenders. I call it “Free in 50.” One violent crime puts you in state prison for 50 years with no parole, no time off for good behavior and no conjugal visits through which to extend your gene pool. Go in at 21 and come out at 71. Simple.

Only the permanent removal from our communities of violent felons will solve this problem.

BILL MARVEL

San Pedro

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When will our parole board be held accountable for its criminal actions on the unsuspecting public? How many more body bags will we count before this outdated system will be called “Murder Inc.”?

SHEILA McDONOUGH

Whittier

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Re “Careening Sequence of Violence Claims Officer,” Dec. 1: The Times should do a follow-up story tracing how these two assault rifles ended up in the hands of two criminals. Presumably, the Ruger Mini 14 was manufactured and distributed legally. The AK-47 had to be imported by someone with a license. The opponents of assault rifle control argue that gun control cannot work because too many guns are in the hands of the bad guys and the good guys need to defend themselves. This proposed story might identify the point in the chain of distribution and sale of these guns where stronger controls might have prevented the guns from falling into the hands of thugs like those implicated in the shooting death of Officer Brian Brown.

Getting these guns out of the hands of civilians would do a lot to keep them out of the hands of criminals. By the way, my wife and I own eight rifles, three shotguns and nine handguns. Some fire smokeless powder, some fire black powder. None of these are assault rifles. We feel perfectly secure in our ability to repel any attack by the criminal element.

JOHN LAPIN

Studio City